Sleeping-berth eob



D. M. LAWRENCE.

I Car Seat and Couch.

No. 22,025. Patented Nov. 9, 1858.

% AdEhIT FFKQE.

LAVRENCE, OF CINCINNATI,

OHIO.

SLEEPING-BERTH FOR RAILROAD-CARS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, D. M. LAWRENCE, of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Adjustable Platforms or Sleeping-Berths for Railroad-Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon and made to form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to like parts of the improvement.

The object of my invention is to construct adjustable platforms or sleeping berths for railroad cars in such a manner that the said platforms or sleeping berths can be suspended at any desired elevation between the seats and the ceiling or roof of the car, and When not desired for use can be raised to said ceiling and there secured, and allow the car to be used for day purposes without interfering with the comfort of passengers.

The nature of my invention consists in the application of the ball and socket hinge or other similar device to adjustable platforms or sleeping berths for railroad cars, for the purpose of attaching said platforms or sleeping berths to the side of the car and at the same time allowing said platform or berth to move up and down-and also in the application of the strap hinge, one end of which is attached to the cornice near the roof of the car, and the other end attached to the inner edge of the platform or sleeping berth, said hinge being constructed in such a manner as to be easily disconnected from the inner edge of said platform or sleeping berth, and placed closely underneath the same, and also supporting the inner edge of said platform or sleeping berth, when not desired for use, and also to prevent any lateral motion of said plat-form or sleeping berth when in use, and also the arrangement of pulleys and cords for the purpose of raising said platforms or berths to the ceiling ofthe car when not desired for use, in combination with the adjustable spring and bolt, which receives the weight of the platform or sleeping berth and imparts to it the comfort of a spring mattress for sleeping purposes.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had direct to the accompanying drawings, of which,

Figure 1, is a longitudinal sectional elevation of railroad car, showing the platform or sleeping berth in position for use. Fig.

is also a longitudinal sectional elevation of railroad car, showing the platform or sleeplng berth near the ceiling or roof of the car when not designed for use for sleeping pur Fig. 4, represents a longitudinal elevation of ".o

the strap hinge, the upper end of which is made in the form of a butt and is attached to the cornice near the roof of the car, and the lower end made with a slot, for the reception of the ball attachment, connected with and attached to the inner edge of the platform or sleeping berth.

(A, A) in Fig. 1, represent the adjustable platform or sleeping berth, in position for sleeping purposes, the outer edge of said platform or sleeping berth being supported and held firmly by the ball and socket hinge (b b) and the inner edge supported by the strap hinge (h it) by means of the end of the bolt (0) passing through and resting in the slot (2) in the strap hinge (h, h).

(h, h) as fully shown in Fig. 4, represent the strap hinge, showing the upper end made in the form of a butt, which said upper end is attached to the cornice (s) and the lower end is provided with the slot (2) for the reception of the end of the bolt (0).

(b 6) represent the ball and socket hinge furnished with a groove through which the neck of the bolt (0) passes as the berths are moved up and down.

(29, 79, p, 79) represent pulleys.

(cl, (Z, (Z, cl) represent the cords which pass over and around the pulleys (79, 29, p, 7)) and are attached to the four corners of the platform or sleeping berth (A, A) by means of which the said berths are raised to their places near the roof of the car.

9, represents a spring, one end of which is attached to the ceiling or roof of the car,

and the end, resting upon the top of the bolt (6) receives the weight of the platform or sleeping berth, when said berth or platform is adjusted in position for sleeping purposes, as represented in Fig. 1.

(e), is a ring holding the ends of the cords (d, d, 03, (Z) and is slipped over a catch in the end of the bolt (0).

(f,) is a piece of metal furnished with a catch over which the ring (6) is passed when the berths, A, A, have been drawn up to their position near the roof of the car as shown in Fig.

(a) is a cord fastened to the ring (6), for the convenience of elevating the berths or adjusting them to their places.

(8) represents the cornice, to which the strap hinges (it it) are attached.

hen it is desired to elevate the platform or sleeping berth to its position near the roof of the car (as shown in Fig. 2,) the innor edge of the berth (A A), is raised suiticiently to allow the head of the bolt (0) to pass through the eye of the slot in the strap hinge (It). When thus disconnected, the cord (at) is drawn downwardly toward the seats of the car, and the cords (cl, d, d, at) attached to the ring (0), and

working over the pulleys (p, p, p, p) are thus made to elevate the berth (A A) to the position represented in Fig. (2). The strap hinges (it h) are then turned up against the lower side of the berth (A, A) and fastened by means of the button (u u), the cornice (s) forming a finish for the edge of the berth (A A).

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of the strap hinge (h h) in combination, with the ball and socket hinge (Z) 5), for the purpose of securing adjustable platforms or sleeping berths for rail road cars at any desired elevation, and operating as herein described, or otherwise substantially the same and for the purposes set forth.

D. M. LAWRENCE.

Witnesses:

H. E. CLrr'roN, CHARLES L. FISHER. 

